Sterile needle assembly



Nov. 16, 1954 M. J. LA DRIGUE ,398 STERILE NEEDLE ASSEMBLY Filed June 26, 1953 INVENTOR. MAE mu 3. DPJGDE BY United States Patent STERILE NEEDLE ASSEMBLY Marlin J. La Drigue, Traverse City, Mich. Application June 26, 1953, Serial N 0. 364,300

2 Claims. (Cl. 128329) This invention relates to an assembly including a sterile needle for minor operations on the skin, such as removing slivers, opening blisters and removing the cores from boils or pimples, and more particularly to an assembly wherein the needle is maintained in a sterile solution when not in use.

It is among the objects of the invention to provide a sterile needle assembly by which a surgical needle or probe is maintained in a sterilizing solution at all times when not in use so that it is not necessary to heat the needle or to locate a bottle of disinfectant into which to dip the needle each time the needle is used; which maintains a special surgical needle available at all times with the use of the needle restricted to surgical purposes; which is of small size and can be conveniently carried on the person or kept in a medicine cabinet or a desk or cabinet drawer, and which is simple and durable in construction, economical to manufacture, safe and effective in use, and neat and attractive in appearance.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the following description and the appended claims in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a sterile needle assembly illustrative of the invention with a portion of the assembly broken away and shown in cross section to better illustrate the construction thereof; and

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the needle and cork component of the assembly with a portion of the cork broken away and shown in cross section.

With continued reference to the drawing, the sterile needle assembly comprises a small container or bottle formed of a suitable impervious material such as glass or a synthetic resin product, and having at one end a neck 11 terminating in a mouth 12 surrounded by a reinforcing bead 13. A body 14 of sterilizing or disinfectant liquid is maintained in the container 10 and a cork or stopper 15 is inserted in the neck 11 of the container, the stopper being formed of a suitable resiliently compressible material, such as cork or rubber.

A needle or probe 16 has one end inserted into the cork 15 coaxially of the cork and has its other end pointed, as indicated at 17, the needle being formed of a suitable material, such as corrosion resistant, surgical steel. When the cork 15 is inserted into the neck 11 of the container the needle 16 is immersed in the body 14 0 of sterilizing liquid in the container and is thus maintained in a sterile condition at all times when not in use.

2,694,398 Patented Nov. 16, 1954 When the needle is to be used for minor skin surgery, the cork is withdrawn from the neck of the container and is then used as a handle for manipulating the needle.

The end portion of the needle inserted into the cork, as indicated at 18, is of somewhat smaller diameter than the portion of the needle at the proximal end of this end portion to provide an annular shoulder 19 which extends around the needle at the inner end of the cork and limits the extent to which the corresponding end of the needle can be inserted into the cork so that the needle will not be moved inwardly of the cork While the needle is being used. The portion 18 of the needle disposed within the cork is also preferably provided with laterally projecting tongue formations 20 which are imbedded in the cork and assist in securing the portion 18 of the needle firmly in the cork so that the needle will not move longitudinally or turn relative to the cork while the cork is being used as a handle for manipulation of the needle.

With the assembly as illustrated, the needle is maintained in a sterile condition at all times when not in use and, not being provided with an eye and having the cork permanently attached thereto, is not useful for the general purposes for which a needle is provided and is therefore restricted in use to surgical purposes. Also, by being retained in the container 10 the needle is not lost or misplaced but can be kept in a convenient location and easily located when needed.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are, therefore, intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed is:

1. A sterile needle assembly comprising a container having a neck, a body of sterilizing fluid in said container, a cork inserted into said container neck, and a needle having one end pointed and its other end inserted into said cork from the end of said cork disposed inwardly of said container neck and having a shoulder formation thereon bearing against the end of said cork into which said needle is inserted.

2. A sterile needle assembly comprising a container having a neck, a body of sterilizing fluid in said container, a cork inserted into said container neck, and a needle having one end pointed and its other end inserted into said cork from the end of said cork disposed inwardly of said container neck and having a shoulder formation thereon bearing against the end of said cork into which said needle is inserted and having lug formations projecgng lfiiterally from the portion thereof disposed within sai cor References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

